Movie Man: Actresses pretend to be women pretending to be men

“Albert Nobbs” is centered on the sort of stunt that could come off as cheap, flashy or comedic, depending on the performance: In 19th-century Ireland, our hero Albert Nobbs works as a butler in a posh hotel. He’s calm, collected and endlessly reliable. What no one knows is that, under that short haircut and starched collar, he’s really a she.